Road To The Mastery Of The Craft.

Risk

Greetings decaying souls of past philosophers, slowly whisked away by moonlight winds. How’s the hangover? Hangovery I wager. So today I want to talk about that ever-looming catalyst to success –

Risk – otherwise known as – that game your parents got you because Monopoly was sold out (and they don’t love you).

We’ve all heard of the cliff of success. We stare blankly into that abyss. All that separates us from our goals – is the jump. Of course, we could always turn back, maybe find a new route. But alas, it always leads back to the cliff.

Now, I’m not sure who designed life this way, but regardless the truth is that without taking that daunting chance, we are damned to a life of regret or worse yet, a life of not knowing.

I talk a lot about being a writer. The steps you must take. The hurdles you must climb. Onward and onward -I ramble (and will continue to). What you must know, is that in spite of all the information that I spew and you accrue -the cliff will be there -waiting.

If you don’t have the stomach to take that chance (and after that countless more), the knowledge becomes irrelevant.

I can’t tell you how to build the strength you need to take the jump. And hell, for the sake of argument let’s assume that no one can. What we do know is what we see. What we see is that whatever strength that it takes to leap – is fairly spread among all writer’s big and small, good and bad, J.K. Rowling and E.L. James.

Similarly, some good (even great) writers have fallen victim to the fear of risk and some horrible ones have transcended it. It’s a mixed bag of the self-selected . I’m assuming most writer’s know that eventually, it will come down to taking the chance -or not.

I’ll be honest, this is kind of a cyclically cynical post. I’m not sharing much that most of you don’t already know. Then again, that wasn’t my intention. I wanted you to face this reality.

I want you to have this internal discussion with yourself. I want you to meditate on this thought, in the hopes that when your time comes to jump – at least your decision will be informed by your own rumination, without being influenced by cowardice and/or impulsivity.

That’s all “Uncle 80 proof Keyboard”, has got for you today kiddies. Go out there and kick your obstacles in their testicles.